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Overview An afterburner (also known as a reheat) is an extra combustion chamber in a jet engine that injects fuel into the hot exhaust stream to provide a sudden, powerful boost in thrust.How It WorksUnused Oxygen: Standard jet engine combustion operates with extra air, leaving plenty of unburned oxygen in the exhaust gas passing through the turbine.Fuel Injection: Spray bars inject additional fuel directly into this hot exhaust gas behind the turbine.Second Ignition: The remaining oxygen ignites the new fuel, intensely heating and expanding the gases to dramatically increase exhaust velocity and forward thrust (often by 50% or more).Uses and DrawbacksCommon Uses: Mostly found on military supersonic fighter jets for takeoffs, rapid climbs, and combat maneuvers.Major Downside: It consumes fuel at an extreme rate, making it inefficient for continuous use and limiting operation to short bursts